FDA Issues Guidance for Testing Salmonella in Foods

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its revised Guidance for Industry: Testing for Salmonella Species in Human Foods and Direct-Human-Contact Animal Foods," which stressed caution when testing for Salmonella in human foods and direct-human-contact animal foods.

The document provides guidance on human foods or direct-human-contact animals foods intended for distribution to consumers, institutions or food processors, and addresses testing procedures for Salmonella species (Salmonella spp.) and the interpretation of test results where the presence of this pathogen may result in injury. The guidance also instructs food manufacturers, processors, packagers and distributors to be vigilant of the potential for false results when testing for Salmonella species and insist on an extra confirmatory test after receiving a positive screen result for the presence of Salmonella. The analysis should be conducted according to the cultural method measures advised in the FDAs Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) or a validated non-BAM method. Using cultural methods can yield one of three resultsa presumptive positive result, a confirmed positive result or a negative result.

The guidance does not apply to egg producers and other persons who are covered by FDAs final rule Prevention of Salmonella Enteritidis in Shell Eggs During Production, Storage, and Transportation" (July 9, 2009, 74 FR 33030)

Click here to view the complete guidance.